In-Fisherman article

[Roberta]

The new October-November issue of In-Fisherman has an excellent article on the growing popularity of crappie fishing and how states are finally starting to manage the species. The article addresses some of the Southerners' complaints about spring tourists taking coolers full of crappie out illegally. It's a good read. - Roberta

[crap-king]

The new October-November issue of In-Fisherman has an excellent article on the growing popularity of crappie fishing and how states are finally starting to manage the species. The article addresses some of the Southerners' complaints about spring tourists taking coolers full of crappie out illegally. It's a good read. - Roberta

we are having that problem but don't let anyone fool you we have plenty of home folks that are raping out supply of crappies - of course for years due to I guess ignorance ( should have known better ) people hauled all the fish they could carry back top there freezers the old bass master films of the early tournaments I have seen guys talk about how sick it makes them when they see what they use to do to all those bass they caught and did not even try to save them for release - I have seen films of entire jon boats full of bass that was killed (they ate most of them but it was still alot of fish wasted)- not only crappie but saltwalter fish such as red fish(in NC we call puppy drum or spot tails) we caught by the hundreds and now we have had to regulate them to a slot size and just 1 per day - and now they are coming back in good numbers - our crappie on High Rock was really hurt by our drought a few years ago - but now that we have a 20 fish limit on 8" fish and above the size of the fish is really starting to get bigger - Jordan Lake has been a hot spot for traveling crappie fishermen for years - and there was no creel limit ever until 2 years ago and the went to the 20 fish limit over 10" - and the reports from Jordan are getting better and better - our bank fishermen are guilty of taking to many and too small fish when the spawn is on - hopefully with more education and enforcement the supply will continue to increase

[chaunc]

I fish Ky lake in the spring and when i bring my fish to the cleaning station, i always check the cans to see how the fish are biting for everyone else. There are so many under-size carcasses that it makes me sick. I mean 8 and 9 inch crappies and even small bass. I guess they dont clean them when there's someone around or maybe they clean them on board and then dump them in the station. I travel 652 miles each way, but i wont keep short fish. And don't allow anyone in my boat to do so. When i'm there, i dont fish to get limits, i fish to relax and enjoy my vacation.

[Darryl Morris]

I would DEFINITLY agree that folks have a legitimate gripe if people are keeping illegally short fish or more than their daily limits and even their possession limit. That's when Game and Fish Enforcement needs to be doing their job. But if it's legal, it's legal, and nobody should complain. If they don't like it they should put forth the effort to get the laws changed. It's very frustrating to hear people complain and then not be willing to be actively part of a solution.

What is an unwarranted gripe is when folks voice their opinion about any angler coming to "their" lake and havesting "their" fish. If any person purchases a fishing license they have the right to catch and keep fish within the limits of the law.

I heard this complaint from local anglers many times when I fished tournaments. The basis of their complaint was that the tournament anglers catch too many fish raping "their" lake. I guess that would be their logic when they can't catch fish in "their" own lake and gets outfished by an angler from out of state. And the whole time they ignored the huge increase in camping and fishing activity by non-tournament anglers during those seasons. That's nothing but hypocrisy.

I've not heard any complaints about catching too many fish as a guide and I hope I don't. I'm licensed fully and so are my clients and we'll abide by the existing laws. The amount of economic activity brought to a lake community by guides and tournament anglers far outwieghs the small amount of legally havested fish, especially when you take into account just how very prolific crappie are. Plus, hopefully, the more popular a lake is the more money will be spent on improvements in all areas (parks, ramps, fish stocking, etc.) for that lake.

I guess some people just complain about things they don't understand.

[blairbasser]

The last I knew. Crappie and or panfish were close to the No.1 most sought after species.

They are a renewable resource and depending on the food supply it only helps thinning them out to get bigger fish. This is for you to deceide.

Do you want to catch quanity or quality?
These aren't bass or walleye, that may take five or more years to reach size limit requirements.

Sure, depending on the body of water there may be an exploytation of crappie. Just don't blame it on fisherman as it could be any number of factors that are the reason for their decline.

BB

[blairbasser]

Darryl after reading your post I cound't agree more. Most locals have no idea the size or numbers of their fish population until the tournament trail comes along and points it out to them.

My home state (Pa) has on there web site, vailable info about creel surveys, trap netting, electro fishing. On waters that thev'e surveyed.

This is invaluable information, and it's FREE.

We had a limit of 50 panfish for years (no size limit). In the past few years some lakes have been revised to 20 fish with a 9" size limit.

Relize now that I rarely keep any fish, and I still have a problem with this philosphy. If the body of water dosn't have the food to support the population, No way can you get bigger fish.

One such lake went to these restrictions years ago and the size of the crappie has not improved much at all. This lake is a flood control lake of about 1500 acres at summer pool. During the winter it is hardly 1/4 that size. Maybe the severe drawdown maybe the culprit. Who Knows. I'm sure it affects the food chain though.

BB

[fishincrazy]

Even with prolific fish like crappies, like in everything else, moderation is the key.
Always blows my mind when I see someone with twenty-five 6" to 7" fish they are taking out the lake. And that's always the one to say "Boy, we just don't have any big ones any more."

[bowdenja]

Roberta............ haven't read it yet, but I will. Seems like every gerneration remembers that is used to be better than it is now.

But, and I can only speak for my state..... Mississippi, OUR Game and Fish department do stay on top of things, as proof we just had out second alligator hunt, 13' 567# was the biggest, they do change length limits, creel sizes, and not statewide but by individual lake.

It makes it harder for sportsmen to stay current, but it is something that needs to be done in order for our States resources, which that is what fish and game are, to be managed for improvements.

I too, support legal limits of fish taken, and I for one do not blame or look for out-of-state (OOS) fishermen or hunters as culpits for a seeming decline in game or fish populations.

Like as stated LEGAL limits are not a problem, it is people, locals or oos'er , who take both game and fish in illegal limits, that IS a problem. Under length, over creel limits above legal game limits........... this is what MUST STOP.

And unfortunatley Game Wardens like Police Officers can not be everywhere all the time. It therefor falls to US as Sportsmen to help them out. Report game law abuse, report illegal activity, talk with people who are doing wrong, I find most of the time they don't know any better, but if it is the other case, I report them. Because THEY are the ones hurting something I love and enjoy.

OUR Countries resources are ALL of OUR's and as such WE TOGETHER must protect them, so our grand-kids can look back when they are older,(and you and me are both gone) and remember how much better is now than it will be for their then!

john

[poorboy]

I fish a small local lake that has a 30 fish limit but no size limit and I still don't keep anything under 9". Most the time I don't even keep any. I catch alot of 13-14 "ers. I have fished several times at Truman lake and catch hundreds of short fish and at the end of the day go home empty handed. But there will always be those that care more about money than the purpose of life.

[Rowdy]

WE go to Ky.lake every spring, there is 5 boats or more, 10 people, most are good fishermen.When we come in its a circus 4 stay and cleans all the fish others go to camp to cook or whatever. Some of the guides have some smart remarks,call the Officers on us,They check us every year. we are leagel!

Every year we are catching more fish,but we work togeher to find fish,I dont think we will catch all the fish in the lake in 1 week.
They dont mind taking our $2,000 -$2,500 we spend while we are down there!!

Rowdy